The Christmas Ornament
by finallyxfound
Summary: Kyle gives Paige the most perfect present that he knows of. Christmasy fic, no demons, just feel good happy holiday fic. COMPLETED!
1. Chapter One

This is my first ever-solely Charmed ficlet. This is a feel-good happy Christmas fic, no demons, just Christmas and a Charmed Extravaganza. The main pairing in here is Paige and Kyle, but we will also see hints of Piper and Leo, Phoebe and Leslie and also Darryl and Sheila. I hope you enjoy and Happy Holidays.

* * *

The dusty box top slid off of the square container, unleashing stacks of white tissue paper covering precious decorations that were handed down through the years. Hues of crimson and emerald glittered in the dim lights that hung on the side walls of the attic, ricocheting in every direction as the newly Mrs. Emera Brody searched for the Christmas decorations that had been passed down through the generations of her family.

Crimson bulbs would dangle on the tree, emerald stars would glitter in the light and a Christmas Angel would sit atop the tree, raising her hands up towards the sky and donning a silver lined robe straight from the heavens.

The Brody's faux but beautiful Christmas tree was placed in the corner, twinkle lights flickered the colors of the rainbow and illuminated the family room reminding the newlyweds that it was Christmas time again.

This would be their first Christmas as husband and wife, celebrating two years of a relationship that they would cherish forever. And tonight, Emera had the best Christmas present for her husband, Jackson.

Jackson trotted down the stairs, all dressed up in his jade colored sweater and swooped into the family room, giving his bride a great big smile.

"Merry Christmas Eve," Emera's soft voice called out to him and said. Her lips curved into a delicate smile as he moved towards her, taking her slender body into his and embracing her in a loving hug.

"Ditto."

"You always say that," Emera swatted at his sweater and turned around towards the Christmas tree again, admiring its symbolism and beauty. Jackson's arms slid around her waist and he started to nuzzle her neck.

"Okay, okay. Stop that," Emera said, leaning over to the fireplace mantle and picking up a small package, skinny enough to fit Jackson's favorite candy, Pixie Sticks in. But that wasn't his Christmas present. "The Christmas Eve present."

"Christmas Eve present?" Jackson took the skinny package in his hands, running his fingers over the golden metallic ribbon wrapped around the golden paper and looked up at her.

"New tradition. A Brody tradition. Open it," Emera curved her mouth into a smile, hoping her husband would open up the present and be as happy as she was. As he slowly started to untie the small package with a big gift inside, all she could think about was that their lives were going to change forever.

Jackson dropped the top of the box to the floor when he uncovered her present: a pregnancy test. They were going to be parents; the most wonderful gift that Santa could give them.

"Oh, yea, and this," Emera pulled out another box from inside the evergreen tree and handed it to her husband.

"Please don't tell me that this is the actual baby."

"No, silly," Emera pulled on the tiny silver strand of ribbon wrapped around the box and let her husband finish the rest.

Jackson took the lid off and threw it onto the fireplace mantle that was already covered with tiny knick-knacks with Christmas themes and a nativity scene depicting the reason for Christmas. Jackson looped his index finger through the string that was sticking out and lifted it out of the box.

A round, multi-colored ornament hung from his hand, dangling and twinkling in the dim light that surrounded the Brodys.

"An ornament?"

"Not just any ornament. Our first ornament."

Paige pressed her finger pads to her temples and started to rub her head, anxious for the headache in her brain to go away. She loved the head mistress at Magic School gig, but she was getting tired of student progress reports when the school day hadn't started and the constant battles between the teachers.

Right now, at this moment, Professor Henderson was in her office along with two students who had been blamed for the fire that started in the lab. And of course, all three of them were arguing back and forth. This was the time of day that she wished she had Piper's powers, all so she could freeze them.

Of course, they would only stay frozen for a short while seeing as they were all emerging witches minus the Professor who would stay frozen and that didn't seem all that bad.

It was a crazy time of year. It was the Christmas season and around the Halliwell household that meant traditions and trimming the tree and setting out cookies and milk for Santa and then there was the whole tradition of actually finding time between vanquishing demons and buying presents to see her boyfriend or lover or whatever the appropriate title was for him.

She missed Kyle. She missed coming over to his place, insulting his décor and then taking him out into the city and the sunlight. The last time she had seen him was a week ago when she actually had some free time up her sleeve.

"Okay!" Paige stood up and stopped the students and Professor Henderson from voicing another one of their arguments. "Okay, Professor, you have students waiting in your classroom."

Professor Henderson exited the room, his black robe whooshing behind him as he closed the door from the outside. The two students eyed each other and then turned to the Head Mistress of Magic School like their lives depended on it; it did.

Paige rounded the sharp corner of her executive desk and sat on the edge, looking at the two boys with her detective eye. "Did you set the fire in the lab?" She asked, watching as the two boys looked at each other and let their heads drop down.

"Okay, that's enough for me. I know it's Christmas and we all want to get home in time, so all you have to do is help clean it all up."

"All of it?"

"All of it." Paige confirmed, hoping off the edge of her desk and retreating behind the stacks of paper and books piled atop of the deep cherry wood. She started to gather papers up, putting the important memos into a file folder and looked up to still see the boys sitting in front of her desk. "You can go now."

They left the room as she wished and she cleaned up most of the papers on the surface, hoping that she could get home before seven today. She could only pray for a divine intervention.

She should've stayed at school. Definitely.

Phoebe was walking up and down the hall with Chris, who was fussy as usual. Piper was freezing everything in sight because of Wyatt's expanding telekinesis powers and Leo was hovering over the Christmas tree, mostly just trying to stay out of the way and place the angel on top of the evergreen that overpowered the family room.

School was the answer. Back to school and maybe order take out from that fabulous Chinese place downtown and then she could actually get some of her Christmas wrapping done. But before she could take two steps backward and orb back to the school, Phoebe caught a hold of her hand and prevented her from doing so.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Oh, nowhere," Paige answered her older sister and shrugged her shoulders, brushing off any hope that this would be a quiet evening at home.

"Good. I need your help."

"That was a given," Paige muttered under her breath and halfheartedly followed Phoebe up the stairs as Chris calmed down and laid his head upon Phoebe's shoulder.

The second floor was quieter, but they all could still hear Piper's motherly "no's" and "Wyatt's!" echo through the hallways. Phoebe walked up towards Paige's room and set Chris on Paige's ultra-comfy bed. This would be his first Christmas and the aunts had everything planned but there was just one name that was left off the list of the Halliwell's Holiday Extravaganza list: Kyle Brody.

"So?"

"So what?" Paige shrugged her shoulders, letting her shoulder bag slip onto the vanity chair and went over to her closet, ridding of her shoes immediately.

"So…you know what I'm talking about Paige." Phoebe sat on her bed next to Chris and waited for Paige to give her an answer. Phoebe was the empath and the advice columnist and the Cupid for most of San Francisco and of course she could tell when something was up with her sister and her boyfriend. "Did you ask him yet?"

"Ask who what?"

"Paige!"

"I haven't had time," Paige shrugged off Phoebe's persistent questions.

"Yes you have. You come home from school and what do you do? You…"

"Vanquish the big bads, change stinky diapers and oh yea, grade papers because some of my teachers are slackers."

"That's still not an excuse. He's your boyfriend."

"Yea, well, I don't see him picking up the phone and making an attempt to call me."

"Paige, you told him not to and like a pet dog, he obeyed, which is a good asset mind you."

"Phoebe, what's the point of this conversation?" Paige asked, pulling on her sweat pants and walking her way back over to the bed in the middle of the room.

"The point is that we've invited everyone and they've accepted. Dad's gonna be here, Sam, our whole maternal side of the family, Leslie is coming, Elise and Darryl with Sheila and the kids too…"

"You want Kyle there?"

"Yes."

"Fine. I'll call. Satisfied?"

"No, it'd be better if you orbed." Phoebe said, propping Chris up against the pillows and shooing her sister out of her own room.

"But I'm in my sweats."

"Go!" Phoebe shooed her sister out again and this time Paige took the bait. She orbed and with that Phoebe pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and speed dialed Kyle Brody's home number.

"Brody."

"She's on her way."

"Thanks Phoebe."

Phoebe flipped back the phone and looked over at Chris, who was about to fall asleep there on Paige's bed.

"That's right, Mr. Halliwell. Phoebe is Cupid and knows how to match make, doesn't she?" Her aunty voice said to the baby boy that was now in her arms. "How about you and me go take a nap?"


	2. Chapter Two

Kyle flipped back his phone and tossed it onto the already cluttered counter. It was pointless to even try to clear it off because Paige would be here in the blink of an eye.

He held the tiny box in his hands and prayed that he got this right, this being their first Christmas together and all. He wanted to get her something special and while Phoebe vetoed every other gift idea he had thought of, this was what he was going to give to Paige.

The Christmas ornament was special and it had been passed from his mother with specific instructions. _"Give it to the one who is true…"_

She would always tell him that every Christmas before he turned five. He didn't remember a lot of things but he remembered that. His mother's voice rang true in his head and his father's was even louder. _"Listen to your mother, son, she knows everything."_

Blue orbs filled his sight and knocked him out of his train of thought. In sweat pants and a white tank top, Paige stood there with her lips moving and Kyle was mesmerized. What did he ever do to deserve to be in the same room with her? She looked heavenly with her brunette locks swooping across the bare of her shoulders and subtle honey hues swam rivers through her coffee hued eyes. He moved his gaze down towards the movement of his lips which seemed to have sound coming out of him, but he couldn't hear anything. They moving so swiftly and he found himself aroused; for they were far more enticing than they ought to be.

Two weeks. That's how long he had gone without seeing her and he missed her. He was surprised that she hadn't looked upon his apartment and made a smart retort about it. Maybe she had, but either way he didn't hear her. He was still concentrating on her lips moving and he couldn't take his eyes off of them. He licked his lips and longed to feel her velvet lips on his.

"Kyle!" The sound of her voice finally resonated in his ears and he popped out of another trance.

"Sorry."

"Yeah." She said while he still stead at her. Pulling out a small invitation that Phoebe handed to her before she orbed out of the manor, she handed it to him. "You're invited."

"To what?" Kyle took the invitation from her hand and looking at the glittery red cursive writing on the tiny card detailing the time, place and the hostesses.

"To the Halliwell Holiday Extravaganza…and I'm not imagining things on the extravaganza part either." Paige pushed back a strand of hair that was in her face and looked back at him, waiting for him to come up with some smart retort.

Kyle just looked up at her, smiling at the way she stood there: slumped and sexy. What was it about her that made him re-evaluate his life? Kyle thought back over the past girlfriends and loves he had and no one compared to her. She made him feel like he was literally wasting his life away…searching for his parents killers was taking a toll on his life and he knew it.

Then she came along. Brunette hair, chocolate brown eyes and luscious crimson lips filling his nightly and sometimes middle of the day dreams and he couldn't get enough. It took all he had to be away from her for two weeks straight. If it wasn't magic school, it was daily or weekly vanquishings or babysitting her nephews. And if she wasn't babysitting the boys, she was babysitting the kids at her school. He knew how that went, having had some experience in the babysitting area with his kid sister, Kelley.

Kelley was now grown and in college, far away from here, which was good in a way. In a way she wouldn't have to deal with his thirsts for vengeance against the murderers and in another way she wouldn't have to deal with his housekeeping. That was all Paige's now.

His sister had called earlier telling him that she would be going to Uncle Stevenson's house for Christmas this year, while he opted to stay in San Francisco. As much as he would love to see his sister again, he wanted to spend Christmas with Paige.

Setting the invitation aside, he picked up the tiny box again and started to move towards her. They had six days until Christmas Eve when the Halliwell Holiday Extravaganza was to commence and this was his only opportunity to give it her.

"Okay, so, are you coming or should I tell Piper to leave one tray of ribs in the fridge for me?"

"Oh, yea, I'll come. But do I have to dress up?"

"It's an Extravaganza. Yes, you have to dress up."

"Will you be?"

"Yes."

"As Mrs. Claus?"

"No. That's Piper's thing. Leo is Santa this year and Piper is Mrs. Claus."

"So, Wyatt and Chris are elves?"

"Yea, I guess so," Paige pulled her hand through her growing locks and stared back at him as he moved towards her. "What?"

"Do I have to ask for a kiss from my girlfriend?" Kyle asked, still moving closer with every moment that passed.

Paige stood up straight as he said the word _girlfriend_. Was she really his _girlfriend_? They never really said what they were except friends…with benefits. Really, really good benefits, she smirked at the thought of days gone by when she woke up in his arms. It was a good feeling filled with warmth and love.

She had prayed every day for a love like Piper and Leo shared and she had this undeniable feeling that this was it. This was the one she had been waiting for, but there was also an undeniable feeling telling her to hold off and play it cool.

"Is that what I am?" Paige uttered below her breath as he stopped moving forward and stared back at her.

"Paige?"

"It's just that…well…"

Kyle backed away from her and her stuttering statement, putting the tiny box back on the counter and leaning up against the bar stool that was placed underneath. "Where is this going Paige?"

"Kyle…" Paige started to think of an excuse for her assumption. What was she to think or more importantly what was he thinking? They hadn't declared that they were seeing each other or as many people liked to use _dating._ He probably hated her now and she hated herself for even thinking about it. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah."

"I am," Paige defended herself, taking slow steps towards his being and reaching out her hand. "It didn't come out right."

"Ya think?"

The silence lingered between them and both of their spirits were crushed. Paige stopped moving towards Kyle and backed away slowly. This was definitely a night not worth remembering.

"I guess I should go," Paige whispered, still looking at his sad face. She wanted to go up and kiss him and tell him that she was wrong, denying all the stupid things that she ever said or insinuated. She wanted to tell him that she was falling in love with him.

But the window of opportunity passed her by and there was no excuse for what she said. Kyle shook his head, understanding and agreeing that she should go. And she didn't waste any time.

Blue orbs filled the room again, "Merry Christmas." The words faded out as she left his apartment and the emptiness filled his being.

Paige floated back into the manor; landing in the attic where Piper and Leo were at wrapping presents that they were hiding from Wyatt's more or less curiosity. He had a tendency to either run or orb everywhere, using his whitelighter side for personal gain and sensing his presents.

From in the middle of the circle of toys, Piper and Leo pulled their attention towards Paige and her broken spirit.

"You're back early." Leo commented, expecting Paige to pull an all-nighter.

"Yeah, well, you can blame me for that one." She confessed, taking a seat on the floor next to him and reaching for one of the toys.

"What happened?" Piper inquired, clicking her fingers at Leo for his finger to tie a bow together. He heard her loud and clear and placed his finger in the middle of the trimming so she could make the present nice and pretty, like she planned.

"Me and my big mouth happened," Paige paused and grabbed a roll of Christmas paper depicting Santa Claus in his workshop. As long as Piper was letting her talk, she was going to help her wrap the toys. "I screwed up. Bad."

"Do you want to elaborate or do I have to get Phoebe up here to do that read-your-inner-thoughts thing?" Piper asked, putting the finishing touches on one of the toy trucks with built-in sirens that she loved to freeze every time that they annoyed her.

"Oh no you don't, _Cupid_, as she calls herself, can stay out of my love life. I love Phoebe, but I hate her matchmaking skills." Paige paused, searching for the tape across the tiny hill of remaining toys to locate and then looked up to her sister and brother in law. Both sat there with blank looks, not knowing the reason of Paige's sudden dislike of Phoebe's matchmaking. "Okay, so I get home from school today…and she immediately sends me over Kyle's, all so she could complete her list of who's coming and who's not coming to the party on the 24th."

Paige took a deep breath, quickly finished the taping on a Lego® set and started again. "He told me he wanted a kiss from his girlfriend and…"

"You are his girlfriend," Leo stated.

"Yea, well, me being stupid and all, I asked him if that's what I really was."

"Paige…" Piper whined, realizing like a sister what happened between the two. "Why'd you do that?"

"I don't know." Paige let out a deep breath, clutching the wrapped present close to her chest and continued her pity party. "I guess I just wanted to hear him say that I was his girlfriend and while technically he said that, I think I was just waiting for him to tell me that I was his girlfriend." Paige set the present aside and stretched out her legs to the side of her.

"What did you consider yourself before now? Friends?" Piper asked, a smile and laugh curling up on the side of her mouth.

"With benefits." Paige finished for her. Piper shot her look from amused to shocked towards her baby sister. "I know, I know."

"You know what?" Phoebe walked into the attic in her pajamas, pink fuzzy slippers and her hair in high pigtails.

Paige rolled her eyes at the sight of _Cupid_. Getting up from the dusty floor, she swiped off her sweat pants and started to walk past Phoebe.

"Hey, where you going?" Piper asked Paige as she continued to walk towards the door.

"To bed. I'm tired and…well…I'm just tired." Paige stated and walked out the door, leaving her two sisters and whitelighter to think about what just happened. Of course, Piper was thinking of other things like her littlest sister's happiness that hung in the balance.

"What just happened?" Phoebe asked, pointing to the door which was now empty and looking at Piper and Leo in their mini mountain of Christmas presents.

"Bad advice from _Cupid_ happened." Piper answered her, finishing up her last present and setting it in the pile. Phoebe may have forced this relationship into overdrive and spoiled it, but Piper was determined to rescue it.

It was a natural thing: Kyle and Paige, together. It was too good not to be and she couldn't think of a better Christmas present.


	3. Chapter Three

Paige clutched the large pillow in her arms and flipped through the magazine she had pulled out from her side table. As much as she wanted to sit and stare at the deliciously hunky Matt Damon, she couldn't avoid the matter on her mind: Kyle. How could she have been so stupid?

She could try and blame this all on Phoebe, but that would be wrong and this wasn't Phoebe's fault, it was hers; hers and her big mouths'. It was close to midnight now an she still couldn't sleep. She wasn't tired.

The Christmas presents lodged underneath her bed and in the back of her closet were calling to her, screaming to be wrapped and put under the evergreen downstairs. Wyatt would be glad of that: more presents to shake and investigate to his liking. Of course, Phoebe would be shaking and investigating right along with him.

Getting up from the bed, she wandered over to the closet where her store bought gifts were stacked high and thumbed through them all. Wyatt was done, as was little Chris and Leo too. Phoebe was one gift shy of being complete and she was still waiting to buy something for Piper. The things she wanted to get her eldest sister didn't go on sale until Christmas Eve and she was determined to tough it out and fight her way through the crowds.

Paige skimmed down the boxes that held clothes for her sister and nephews and arrived at the boxes where striped tailored shirts housed. Those were the gifts for Kyle, along with a book by Dickens that he let slip out that he wanted to have and a bottle of fragrant spray, which was necessary. His apartment needed it and he needed a maid. And something told her that she would be that maid that came along with the spray.

"You really ruined Christmas this year, didn't you Paige?" She asked herself in the middle of her lonely room, thinking of what Kyle was doing at this very moment. He was probably lonely too.

* * *

He was lonely. He was hoping to make this another special night with Paige, but it wasn't. It was just another spoiled day that he could complain about to his sister if she ever responded to his instant message.

Kyle looked towards the miniature clock on the computer screen as he waited for his kid sister, Kellee to respond to his message. He knew she was there; she was always on the computer doing one thing or another. He would bet ten to one that she was chatting away discussing her new obsession with a television show called _The O.C._ So much of an obsession that she had got him interested in it.

SecretAgentMan: Kel, you there? Come on, I know you are there…  
KayKei: Yea, I'm here. What's up?  
SecretAgentMan: Just wanted to talk.  
KayKei: 'bout what? You got girl problems again?  
SecretAgentMan: Again? I don't have that many girl problems.  
KayKei: Pfft!  
SecretAgentMan: You gonna help or what?  
KayKei: What did you do?  
SecretAgentMan: Me? Who said I did anything?  
KayKei: Kyle, do you want my help or what?  
SecretAgentMan: Yes.  
KayKei: Okay, so talk to me.  
SecretAgentMan: Okay I was moving into kiss her and she backed away asking what I was doing and I told her I was getting a kiss from my girlfriend…  
KayKei: Wait, gf? Since when did she move up to gf status? And why didn't you tell me?  
SecretAgentMan: That was kind of a given, Kel.  
KayKei: Kyle! Good lord, Ky, are you retarded?  
SecretAgentMan: Hey!  
KayKei: Seriously, I need to just astral my butt there to smack you in the head.  
SecretAgentMan: Astral?  
KayKei: You're not the only Brody who knows stuff you know.  
SecretAgentMan: :-P  
KayKei: Did you tell her that you considered her your girlfriend or did you just assume that she knew?  
SecretAgentMan: The last one.  
KayKei: Ky!  
SecretAgentMan: What?  
KayKei: What am I going to do with you?

"You're going to tell me how to fix this," he said aloud as he typed, unaware that Piper had orbed in behind him thanks to her Elder husband.

"Maybe I can help you with that?" Piper's voice resonated behind him as he swirled around in his chair, surprised to see Piper in his apartment in the middle of the night. "Sorry, I know I should've called or knocked on the outside of the door, but this was so much easier and wow, you need a maid," Piper excused her intrusion and looked about his very messy apartment.

"So I've been told," he retorted. "Just a minute," Kyle told the eldest Halliwell and twirled back around in his chair. Kellee had filled up the instant message box with suggestions and although he asked for the help from her, he knew he would have better luck with Paige's sister than his own.

Kyle clicked off the screen and rotated in his chair for the third time and looked up at Piper, who was just like her sister – checking out his apartment, making tiny notes in her mind on what needed to be cleaned, thrown out and organized.

"Sorry about the mess."

"That's okay. You can definitely tell that you're a bachelor." Piper raised her eyebrows and moved some of the old newspapers and dirty clothes off of the sofa so she could sit down.

"This is probably a stupid question, but why are you here?"

"You're right, that is stupid." Piper paused. "Paige."

"Paige." Kyle stated, knowing where this was going to go. He didn't want to deal with it tonight, but somehow he knew that Piper would make sure he did.

"I'm here to fix Phoebe's mistake. She likes to force things and this is something that can't be forced," Piper paused, still looking about the apartment. "The thing between you and Paige…it just is. And that's the beauty of it. You mind?" Piper asked the fed, motioning towards the cluttered coffee table in front of them.

Kyle waved his hand, not minding if one of the other Halliwell sisters had her way with his apartment, even though he preferred Paige's. With his permission, Piper started to pile up stacks of old newspapers he hadn't bothered to read, printed reports and faxes from Homeland Security and candy bar wrappers.

"You really are a bachelor, aren't you?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, yea."

Piper smiled at his honesty. _Finally found yourself a keeper Paige. _"Okay, so this problem with you and Paige…"

"Problem? Yeah, it went from awkward silence to problem and took a left at catastrophe."

"I think you're exaggerating just a bit." Piper said, pushing papers to the side and wiping crumbs off of the wooden coffee table.

"Exaggerating? No, I'm not. Piper, how could she not think that she's not my girlfriend?" Kyle raised his voice a little bit as to not annoy Mrs. Thompson down the hall, who was in bed at seven p.m. and up a five a.m.

"Wow…"

"What?" Kyle snapped, pushing himself up off the spare chair in front of the computer and walking over to the kitchen area. Watching him jolt open the fridge to grab a beer, Piper smiled even more, remembering how she was when she was falling in love.

"Kyle, what are your intentions with my sister?" Piper just came out and asked. She wanted to know and it would help them in a plan to romance Paige back to his side.

"Excuse me?"

"Your intentions…with my sister…what are they?" Piper stood and asked again. She strolled over to the tiny kitchen area that Kyle was standing in the middle of and crossed her arms, waiting on an answer.

"I don't see…"

"Just answer the question Kyle."

"I never really thought about it." Kyle set down his beer bottle and scratched the top of his head, thinking of something to tell the Halliwell in his apartment.

"Do you love my sister?"

Kyle looked up at Piper then, just now realizing how true those words were. He loved Paige. That's what his mother meant by those words; to give someone the ornament you have to be true…true to yourself and your heart. He loved Paige. He went to sleep thinking about her and woke up the same way.

It wasn't a perfect love, he knew that but he didn't want the perfect love. He wanted the messy, scary, holding on for dear life and never a dull moment love…and that's what Paige and he had. Looking up at her sister, the miracle sister as he would now refer to her as, he smiled.

"I'm so glad." She softly said, having faint tears in her eyes and a joyous cry in her throat. "Now say it. Say that you love Paige."

"I love her." Kyle paused, his lips curling into a smile as the words left his mouth. "I love Paige." Kyle smiled more. "That's not it. I want to marry Paige and have a life with her. I want a house and children. I want a dog named Rover and a cat named…whatever and I want to be sitting on the porch one day with gray hair and bifocals and her beside me, holding my hand."

"Okay, slow down a bit. Let's just work on the 'you love Paige' part first."

* * *

Kyle placed his hands upon the clean counter and stared at the tiny box that was atop it. The fancy ribbon that he had wrapped around it was droopy and the wrapping paper was mushed at the ends, torn slightly so it revealed a peek of the dark blue color of the box.

Wyatt stared at the fed from across the way, probably wondering the same thing as Kyle: what was Piper doing? She paced from wall to wall, speaking of things that she wanted to do for his confession and romantic night with Paige.

He knew what he wanted to do, he wanted to kiss her, cook for her, give her the ornament and then he wanted to walk with her back to his bedroom and make long steamy love to her. That's what he wanted to do, but something told him none of those things made Piper's list.

"Okay, Christmas tree there, festive lights there, nativity scene there…" Piper rambled off the top of her tongue as Wyatt stared at his mother. Kyle just rolled his eyes and walked over to where the little by was standing.

Wyatt didn't know what to do with himself. There was no brother to torment since Leo had Chris at the manor and there were no aunts to be cute for, even though he couldn't help it. Kyle sat down at the edge of the sofa and looked through the bag that Piper had brought along with her.

Piper was a mother and moms didn't go anywhere without an emergency stash of sugar and toys, just in case. Kyle was right, deep down under the files from P3 and other holiday festivity planning guides were the toys.

Two of them to be exact. Kyle handed a small black Hot Wheels® car to Wyatt and he held onto the red one. Taking this morning's newspaper, which he still had to read, he set it aside, giving them ample room to go racing.

"That's it!" Piper jumped and made Kyle jump as well as he was about to make a left turn and follow Wyatt's lead.

"What's what?"

"We go…now."

"Where?"

"Tree lot," Piper took the toys out of their hands and shoved them back in her bag. Kyle stared at her still, amazed and worried about what the Halliwell had planned. "Come on, chop chop. We don't have all day."

Kyle reluctantly followed her lead, reaching for Wyatt's hand and praying for sanity through this whole thing. It was for a good reason, he kept reminding himself. Paige was the reason. He was going to get her back and this time, he was going to tell her everything.


	4. Chapter Four

**_Part Four_**

Piper put Wyatt in his car seat and shut the door lightly. Wyatt had had a full day, with going to the tree lot where they had their pick of Charlie Brown trees to the grocery store where Piper brought the store's stock of cheese and crackers. Most of them were for her, but being the nice woman that she is, gave Kyle a box as well.

Piper turned back around, she clutched the jacket around her tightly as Kyle stood in front of her in short sleeves. They may be in California where the sun never goes down, but it was still winter and San Francisco was chilly.

"Your masterpiece is finished," Piper stated, taking a miniature curtsy to emphasize that she needed a bow and thanks for her services.

"Not yet," Kyle stuffed his hands in his jeans pocket and smirked at her. "I still need Paige."

"That's a given," Piper paused. "You'll get her, heck you never really lost her, but you just lost your way. And that's why you needed me," Piper smiled up in his direction. "Paige is a Charmed One and as much as we would like to dismiss it, we all fall for the cops."

"But Leo…"

"Not Leo. David was way before Leo. But hey, we're not talking about me," Piper turned to open up the driver's side door. "Just don't force this, Kyle, don't be like Phoebe."

"But I love Paige…"

"I know and I love that you love her. But love isn't forced or pushed, it just is. Sometimes there's chemistry and magic involved but most of the time there isn't," Piper smiled more and stepped forward knowing that the magic and chemistry between them was something that she remember her and Leo having. It was a once in a lifetime kind of love and they couldn't pass it by; they didn't want to.

"Thanks Piper, this means a lot."

"I know and you're welcome. But you have to remember one thing," Piper hoisted herself up into the Jeep and shut the door, rolling down the window so Kyle could hear her.

"What's that?" Kyle asked.

"Hurt her and I'll vanquish you," Piper gave him a quick smile that made him laugh. Yep, tonight was going to be perfect.

Piper laid the sheet of paper with elegant writing on it on Paige's plump pillow. Wyatt and Chris were sleeping and Paige would be home any minute and silence filled the space around her. _This will work, this will work, this will work_.

Phoebe popped her head into the room and watched her sister be sneaky, "What 'cha doing?"

Piper jumped up a few feet, started by her squeaky voice. "Phoebe!" Piper straightened herself up and scolded her sister. "Is Paige home yet?"

"Not yet. What 'cha doing?"

Ignoring Phoebe's question, Piper straightened out Paige's bed and turned herself around, walking past the other brunette standing in the doorway. Striding down the hallway, she felt Phoebe zip around and follow her, wanting to know everything that happened with her today. But Piper was not going to budge, she promised herself that she wouldn't, she didn't want _Cupid_ to screw things up again.

"So what 'cha doing?" Phoebe asked again, getting more annoying by the minute.

"Isn't Leslie here yet?"

"No, he's not coming until tomorrow and stop avoiding the question. Tell me what's going on."

"I'm fixing your mistake," Piper stated, walking past her and started to descend the stairs, intent on her path to the kitchen where chocolate chip cookies were baking.

"Mistake? What mistake?"

"Forcing what can't be forced. You of all people should know that Phoebe," Piper emphasized, trotting down the stairs while her eager knowing sister followed.

"Forcing what, Piper?"

"Kyle and Paige. You can't force it, _Cupid_."

"I'm not _Cupid_, Piper and…oh my God…" Phoebe stopped herself when she realized what Piper was talking about.

"Phoebe, if you ruin this, I will un-invite Leslie and make you go see the woogy-man again." Piper threatened her sister. She wanted this night to be perfect: Leo and her would have their dinner, Paige and Kyle would have their night of romance and Phoebe would be with her two favorite nephews at magic school.

Twinkle lights and soft candle flames danced against the dark shadows of the walls in Kyle's apartment. He paced back and forth, each time looking at the clock upon the wall and counting down the minutes until hopefully Paige got there.

He was driving himself insane, for there was nothing left to do. Crackers and cheese were laid out on the coffee table alongside champagne being chilled in a bucket of ice and his devilishly delicious dessert was sitting on the top shelf of the refrigerator. He had tried straightening up more, but since Piper's spring cleaning brigade, there wasn't anything that wasn't clean. Except for his closet, but that was self explanatory and he didn't want to clean that: he had a system.

Drawing his eyes back to the clock, his impatience grew more and he found himself more nervous than he had planned. _Breathe, Kyle, breathe,_ he told himself when the phone rang, making him jump at the break in the silence.

"Brody," Kyle answered.

"Do you always answer your phone like that?" His kid sister's voice echoed into the receiver from Uncle Stevenson's home. That phone always echoed and Kyle now knew what to get his uncle for his birthday.

"Hey Kel."

"Merry Christmas, Ky."

"Merry Christmas, Kellee," Kyle paused, glancing at the clock to time himself from Kellee's usually long telephone conversations. "You got there safe?"

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

"Don't be sarcastic, I was just asking."

"I know. So, did you take any of my advice?"

"What advice?"

"Ky! All that advice with your girlfriend that you asked for…" Kellee reminded him, stressing that he did ask her. And even though he didn't use it, he still appreciated it.

"Oh yea…thanks."

"You're welcome," she said. He could hear her smile on the other side of the phone and he reciprocated. "So, what 'cha doing tonight?"

Kyle knew where this was going. When she asked stuff like that, that usually meant that she was bored and long conversations about nothing and awkward silence filled an hour or two. He loved having conversations with Kellee but he had to put this one on hold. Her voice came again over the receiver, seeing if he was still there when a knock on his door told him it was time.

"Kel, I've gotta let you go."

"Wha…Ky?"

"I'll call you later," Kyle replaced the phone on the cradle and moved towards the door, trying to keep his nerves that were jumping all over the place, calm. Swiftly opening the door, he suddenly felt over dressed in his khakis and white striped tailored shirt. Paige stood there in sweats and a long sleeved shirt, looking comfortable and so beautiful that he literally couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Stepping into his apartment, Paige stopped abruptly as she saw the sight before her. Decorations filled the tiny bachelor's apartment: from the tinsel on the Charlie Brown Christmas tree down to the holly intertwined with lights on the windowsill and over to the mistletoe hanging from the ceiling fan in the kitchen, Paige was impressed. She had never seen the place look so good. Turning back around to face him and smiled as he moved seductively towards her.

"Two questions before anything happens," Paige made her conditions clear as he nodded, awaiting her investigation. "One, what's the occasion and two, who's Kellee?"

"Kellee is my sister."

"Sister? You have a sister?"

"Yea, she called to wish us a Merry Christmas."

"Oh," Paige paused, feeling silly for thinking that Kellee could be another girl that he had been seeing. Thank God she was just his sister. "So, about the other thing…what's the occasion?"

"You're the occasion," Kyle simply put and slid his arms around her tiny waist, pulling her as close as he could get her to him. Lowering his mouth to hers, he wasn't wasting any time to get what he wanted for Christmas. All he ever wanted was in his arms, kissing him back. The kiss was steamy as his lips moved over her silky ones with desire and there was no sign on letting go; that was until oxygen was a necessity for continuing.

Breaking for a breath, he felt Paige take an even deeper one than him. She fluttered her eyes open and looked up at him, at a loss for words for once.

"Champagne?" Kyle loosened his grip around her and taking a hold of her hand, he led her over to the living area where the cooled champagne and flutes were located.

"Champagne? Since when do you drink champagne?" Paige repeated, hardly believing that this was the guy who had a fully stocked beer fridge for two months straight.

"It may not be my favorite, but I do drink it. And cheese and crackers and if you're a good girl, you'll get a dessert later."

"Dessert, huh? What's for dessert?" She inquired suspiciously.

"Nice try," Kyle smiled and poured the bubbly liquid into a flute set beside the bucket.

Paige looked about his renovated apartment, garland and streamers made the confined space spacious, appealing and inviting. He had gone through great lengths to make everything picture perfect…and she had to wonder why he was doing this. She was the one who made the stupid mistake of speaking her mind like always. Of course, that was immediately followed by her foot in her mouth but she couldn't change the past. She should be doing this, not him.

Paige sipped on the champagne and felt her heart flutter at his movement back to her. He had put music on, Christmas music to be exact and she couldn't believe this was happening.

"Kyle,"

"Yea?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what? Having a romantic evening at home with my girlfriend? You know that you're my girlfriend this time around, right?"

"I am?"

"Why would you think that you aren't?" Kyle set his champagne flute back on the coffee table and took hers as well. He caught her hand in his and held on tight, not wanting to let go. "Paige, you're my girlfriend and I'm your boyfriend. We're not friends with benefits or just shagging buddies, we're more than that. Aren't we?" Kyle said, looking up at her with his sheepish grin and a hopeful glint in his eye.

Her chocolate tresses swirled around her shoulders and her milky white hands covered his. She didn't know what to say and she couldn't think of anything that would explain her brainless words and heck, she probably couldn't even make up for them, but she would try. Taking her right hand, she traced the edge of his jaw and wondered how anyone could be so stupid.

"I'm so stupid," Paige tried to explain herself when he stopped her, his mouth covering hers again. His muscular hands moved away from her hands and brought her close again, their bodies touching and moving to the winter season melody that was playing around the apartment. Lee Ann Womack and Harry Connick Jr.'s duet rang in their ears as the heat between them gave off steam and Kyle's shirt floated down to the floor.

_I really can't stay (Baby, it's cold outside)  
__I've got to go' way (Baby, it's cold outside)  
__The evening has been (I've been hopin' that you'd drop in)  
__So very nice (I'll hold your hand, they're just like ice)_

_My mother will start to worry (Hey beautiful, what's your hurry?)  
__And father will be pacing the floor (Listen to that fireplace roar)  
__So really, I'd better scurry (Beautiful, please don't hurry)  
__Well, maybe just a half a drink more (Put some music on while I pour)_

_The neighbors might think (Baby, it's cold outside)  
__Say, what's in this drink (No cabs to be had out there)  
__I wish I knew how (Your eyes are like starlight now)  
__To break this spell (I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell)_

_I oughtta say no, no, no sir (You mind if I move in closer)  
__At least I'm gonna say that I tried (And what's the sense in hurting my pride)  
__I really can't stay (Oh baby, don't hold out)  
__Baby, it's cold outside_

_I simply must go (it's cold outside)  
__The answer is no (Baby, it's cold outside)  
__The welcome has been (So lucky that you dropped in)  
__So nice and warm (Look out the window at that storm)_

_My sister will be suspicious (Your lips look delicious)  
__My brother will be there at the door (I ain't worried about your brother)  
__My maiden aunt's mind is vicious (That ol' biddy, she ain't gone bother me)  
__Well maybe just a cigarette more (You don't need no cigarette, it's smokin' plenty up in here)_

_I've got to get home (baby, you'll freeze out there)  
__Say, lend me a comb (It's up to your knees out there)  
__You've really been grand (I thrill when you touch my hand)  
__Oh, but don't you see (How can you do this to me)_

_There's bound to be talk tomorrow (Well, think of my lifelong sorrow)  
__At least there will be plenty implied (If you caught pneumonia and died)  
__I really can't stay (Get over that hold out)  
__Oh, but baby it's cold outside._

* * *

Author's Note:

The Song _Baby, it's Cold Outside_ is sung by many artists, but my favorite version is the one with Lee Ann Womack & Harry Connick, Jr.


	5. Chapter Five

_**Part Five**_

"Stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there…" Paige continued to read to her two nephews in the quiet corners of their room. Wyatt had fallen asleep in the crook of her arms and Chris looked around at the stark white ceiling up above his bassinet. Brushing back a swap of Wyatt's blond hair, she kissed his forehead, quietly humming a random Christmas song that popped up in her head and set the book aside.

The clock on the wall told it her it was way past their bedtime and also way past her time to get ready. She just hoped and prayed that Kyle wasn't downstairs already waiting on her.

Phoebe had occupied herself entertaining Leslie since he had got to the manor and Paige couldn't be any happier for her. That meant that Phoebe was out of her face about Kyle and Paige loved that. Piper was the only one who was asking questions.

Lifting Wyatt up so his head rested on her shoulder, she got up out of the rocking chair situated in between his crib and Chris' bassinet and laid Wyatt down, pulling up the blankets around his neck so he was as snug as a bug in a rug and got his rest. After all, Christmas day was tomorrow.

She liked watching him sleep. It was peaceful and made her wish of a day when she would be just as lucky as Piper and Leo were. And a little part of her hoped it would be with Kyle.

Shutting off the light and walking down the hallway towards her room, she quickly examined the dress of the night and as much as she wanted to go downstairs and socialize and celebrate the Christmas season, especially with no demons interrupting them, she kind of wished for a night like last night: a night where she woke up in Kyle's arms.

The night had been perfect, well as perfect as they could get it. There was the greeting, champagne, apologizing on both parts, kissing, long steamy love and the waking up in each other's arms. She loved that part.

The hue of dark burgundy flowed down the length of the satin dress as Paige ran her hand across the smooth fabric and debated on actually putting it on or not. She would be much more comfortable in sweats and a t-shirt, but if she did that, Piper would kill her. Literally.

Upon putting the gown over her head and zipping up the side zipper, Paige slipped on her Cinderella glass shoes, and slid the dangling diamond earrings on her lobes. Ensemble complete, she strolled back down the hallway and nearly ran into Phoebe and Leslie making a dash for Phoebe's room.

"Hey now, not too much noise," Paige reminded them before they disappeared behind the streamer decorated door that was Phoebe's.

Step by step, Paige descended the stairs and actually felt like it was the prom all over again. Of course this time, there would be tons of people watching her come down and be escorted to the party by a boy. Last time, it was just her and her one girlfriend, both of who couldn't get dates for senior prom if they did a spell.

She could see Darryl, Sheila and Leo in the conservatory's corner, smiling and laughing about the season. Piper with her long brunette hair in soft curls and in her gold shimmering gown, headed towards the door to let more of their friends into the party.

Paige looked around for Kyle, but concluded that he wasn't there yet. But Glenn and Jennifer were in the corner talking with Piper's old beau Dan and his wife, Rebecca. Everyone had a partner, except for her. Where was Kyle? Paige darted her eyes around the foyer, family room and conservatory looking for him but didn't spot him anywhere. It was way past nine o'clock and she told him to be there before eight, just so she could show him off.

"Looking for Kyle?" Piper asked above the noisy crowd at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yea, is he here?"

"Come on," Piper smiled big and pulled her baby sister off of the stairwell and led her towards the kitchen. Trays of leftover food and champagne were atop the dining room table and Paige got an overwhelming feeling that her big sister was up to something.

"Did you and Phoebe like switch roles? Are you playing _Cupid_ now?" Paige inquired not sure of Piper's intentions.

"Kind of," Piper paused before she swung the kitchen door open. "But I'm not _Cupid_ and don't intend to be. I leave that part up to you."

"What?"

"Merry Christmas Eve Paige," Piper told her before swinging the door open to the kitchen. Paige looked into the kitchen, surprised to see candles lit in every nook and cranny, a private dinner setting for two and a tiny wrapped gift on one of the plates.

Peeking her head around the corner, she couldn't believe what she saw. More candles surrounded the island with Kyle leaning against the counter, patiently waiting for her to arrive. She quickly turned back her head to say something to Piper, but she was gone.

"What is all this?" Paige inquired, moving into the dimly lit kitchen and looking at all the preparations that the new _Cupid _and the Secret Agent Man made for her.

"This is…" Kyle waved his hand about, walking towards her with a big smile on his lips, "to tell you the truth, I have no clue. But you can thank the miracle worker."

"You mean the replacement _Cupid_?"

"Yea, she's good," Kyle told her, getting a chance to look at her. The burgundy dress hugged her subtle curves and Kyle's eyes drifted down and up her slender body, landing back at her chocolate tinted eyes and dark ruby lips. "Merry Christmas Eve."

"Merry Christmas Eve to you too," Paige paused, stepping towards him a few inches and letting her hand cup his jaw line. "You gonna answer my question?"

"Which was?"

"What is all this?"

"Well, the plan was to have dinner last night, but that was unsuccessful…"

"Unsuccessful?"

"Oh, you know what I mean," Kyle said softly, pressing his lips against the palm of her hand while taking it in his. His lips delicately skated across her wrist and up the inside of her arm. Skipping across the bare of her shoulders and neck, he captured his lips with hers.

The steamy kiss lasted long and Paige couldn't get enough. All she could think about was that it was a waste of time to get dressed, when she was sure that Kyle could get it off in a little over two seconds just like she could with him.

Breaking away for a much needed breath, she ran her hand down the length of his tailored shirt and cupped his shoulder with her right hand, wanting more but knew that the new _Cupid_ would have their heads if she knew what they were doing in the kitchen.

"Kyle?" Paige breathlessly said.

"Yeah?" He reciprocated.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Anything."

"I love you," she faintly said making her back away a few centimeters so he could take in all she said.

"You…you…you love me?"

"Yes, I do. I don't know when it happened, but it did and I...," her words were cut off short by the touch of his lips again.

"I love you too," he managed to get through in between the many kisses that he didn't want to stop giving her.

"You do?"

"With all of my heart," he said, finally pulling back and looking at her in the eyes. Not knowing what else to do, he knew this was the perfect time. "I have something for you," he declared, flying towards the table and picking up the shiny blue wrapped box with a metallic silver ribbon on top.

"Yours are upstairs, if you want I can go get them," Paige offered but Kyle stopped her from fleeing.

"No, those can wait for later, this…you have to open now," Kyle handed her the little box that looked like it could hold a piece of jewelry. Oh, she hoped it wasn't a ring…not this early in their I-love-you-now-things-are-different-relationship. "It's not a ring, so you don't have to worry."

"Oh, thank you Lord," Paige said, having the weight of that question taken off of her shoulders, "so, what is it?"

"Open it," he urged her, a smile emerging from beyond his lips and anxiousness of her to open it expressed all over his face.

Paige took the present from his muscular hands and carefully started to un-wrap the beautiful shiny paper that covered the box where the ornament was housed.

"What are you doing? Rip it," Kyle said, anxiousness building up in his system.

Paige took his advice and tore the blue paper from the box, tossing it onto the counter beside them. Opening the top of the box, Paige was nervous as to what was inside. It wasn't the right size for a bracelet of any kind and too big for earrings. Lifting up the small square of tissue paper that covered the present, Paige opened her mouth in admiration.

The tiny blue bulb shimmered in the dim light as it dangled from her index finger. The gentle calligraphy that Emera Brody once wrote on the glass circle had faded and Paige had to squint to see what they said.

"Kyle, it's beautiful," she managed to say out of the shock of what he got her for Christmas.

"It was a present that my mother gave to my father…on their first Christmas together," Kyle started to tell her the story, "my mother found out she was pregnant that Christmas with me."

"I hate to tell you this, but I'm not pregnant."

"Good, I don't think we're ready for that," he laughed at her confession, "it's an ornament that was passed down to me and my mother, before she died, always told me to give it to someone that was true."

"True?"

"Someone that I loved," Kyle paused, pulling Paige close to him again, "and I love you."

"I love you too," Paige concurred, admiring the ornament that swayed from side to side on her finger. Turning her head back to Kyle, she beamed from ear to ear, knowing that this gift was special. "I can't believe that you would give this to me though, it should be kept in your family."

"Paige, you are my family."

Paige couldn't believe her ears. She was his family, well, the only one around anyhow. She knew that his baby sister, Kellee was in college on the east coast thanks to after sex conversations and that the rest of his family that included numerous aunts and uncles and grandparents were in a small town in Pennsylvania. She was family.

"Did I mention that I love you lately?" Paige asked, placing the ornament safely back in the box for now. This was the most perfect Christmas season that she could ask for. She had two nephews that were sleeping peacefully upstairs that she thanked God for everyday, two bewitching sisters who would do anything for her, an angelic brother-in-law who owned up to the 'angel' part of his title and a man in her arms that she loved and loved her back.

"Yes, but say it again just so I know," Kyle wrapped his arms around her waist as she curled her arms around his neck.

Paige smiled big once again and gave him a peck on the lips. Looking back up into his eyes she whispered once more and summed up the Christmas season in three little words, "I love you."

"Merry Christmas Eve," he told her.

"Merry Christmas Eve."


End file.
